How buying a car will change forever

The days of visiting a car dealership could be a thing of the past.As the Covid-19 pandemic grips the nation car sales have plummeted by about 50 per cent.And as social distancing rules appear set to remain in place for some time yet, car makers are adapting to bring in more customers and provide for…

The days of visiting a car dealership could be a thing of the past.

As the Covid-19 pandemic grips the nation car sales have plummeted by about 50 per cent.

And as social distancing rules appear set to remain in place for some time yet, car makers are adapting to bring in more customers and provide for their safety.

One of the biggest moves is car makers moving to full online sales models, removing the need to visit a dealership.

Audi this week announced an online purchase platform that gives potential customers the ability to choose a dealership, model and features and secure their vehicle online with a $500 refundable deposit.

Customers also have access to trade-in valuations and financing. Customers can request a test drive if needed. The car can also be delivered directly to the customer’s home.

Audi Australia executive Nikki Warburton said: “At a time like this, many Australians would rather make their purchases from the security of their own home.”

Audi is the first established luxury brand to follow several of the mainstream brands including Volkswagen and tech-savvy Tesla into full online purchasing.

Subaru also announced this week it has launched a complimentary collection and drop-off for car servicing to sidestep dealership waiting rooms.

This adds onto the Japanese brand’s contactless delivery service for new car purchases.

Subaru Australia chief Colin Christie said: “While the vast majority of our dealerships remain open nationwide, continuing to serve our customers’ sales and service needs in store, we recognise some customers are seeking alternate ways to interact with our brand, given the current climate.

“For those customers that still want to transact with us and have the peace-of-mind of being able to complete the process entirely contactless, they have the option to,” he said.

Other brands such as Lexus offer similar contactless services including test drive vehicles delivered to your home and at home deliveries.

All car brands say they are adhering to strict hygiene and cleaning methods to ensure the safety of their workers and the customers.